The View From Here
by myloveimfaithfullyyours
Summary: Problems need to be worked out in after life. one-shot. Not good at summeries...read and review please. I'd LOVE YOU SOOOO MUCH. But you should give it chance lol. Rated T for language.


The View From Here

**A/N: I am baacck in California, and i miss writing oneshots when their not in a series, so I wrote this one. I don't love it, I don't hate it. The song is By Death Cab For Cutie, called I'll Follow You Into the Dark. The song lyrics are in italics. A great song really. Please REVEIW. You don't even have to be nice about it. but I do love nice reviews. SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADDOOO (LOL) I present you ****THE VIEW FROM HERE.**

**The View From Here**

The windows lined up to the ends of the room. They were trapped in here tonight. According to whoever ran the damn afterlife, they couldn't go anywhere until they "worked out their issues." So they were stuck, in a damn room with some damn windows.

_Love of mine some day you will die_

_But I'll be close behind_

But they weren't pretty stain glass windows; they were just some plain old windows that looked out into the middle of nowhere. Everybody knew each other, so there was no need for introducing.

_I'll follow you into the dark_

They all crowded around the small fireplace, lit in the middle of the empty room. They gathered glaring or smiling at each other. Lucy, who was no longer Lucy, instead she was the beggar stood next to the judge.

_No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white_

_Just our hands clasped so tight  
_

The judge stood glaring at Sweeney Todd who stood in between Lucy and Mrs. Lovett. The sound of silence as dead as they were. Nobody said a word. All of a sudden, the two men both spotted a white envelope in the middle of the floor.

_Waiting for the hint of a spark_

_If heaven and hell decide_

They reached to get it at the same time. "Let me read it." Sweeney said coldly, snatching it from the judge. "I believe, I should be the one." The judge bit back. Sweeney snarled. The two embarking in a never ending staring contest.

_That they both are satisfied_

_Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs_

Mrs. Lovett reached and grabbed the letter, and tore it open and began to read before either of the stunned men could say anything. "My dear prisoners..."She began. "Nice way to make friends" She muttered and continued, "you are indeed in neither heaven nor hell. Nobody goes anywhere until we solve our problems. I don't mean to sound awkward, but before either of them accepts you, you must 'work things out.' Good luck. You never know what you may find. Signed, Mr. Afterlife.

"_**If there's no one beside you**_

_**When your soul embarks**_

_**Then I'll follow you into the dark"**_

The words were carved upon the first window. Lucy wandered aimlessly over to the window. The clear shining glass sparkled. It was the day of her death. She stepped back, but was drawn back by an invisible line. She was still crazy, but it was a little better here. Though she didn't remember anything. She looked out the window, the judge next to her.

"What d'ya see?" She asked him. "I see...all the shit I've done." He muttered. He looked up, realizing that she was his fault. "Do you remember yourself, Lucy?" He asked her. She shook her head. "No, my lord. Not one bit." She responded, flashing him a gross rotten teeth smile. He sighed deeply, looking around and then back into the window.

His soul had embarked. He thought to himself. Along with hers...She certainly followed him into the dark. The darkest of dark. Perhaps his desire wasn't the first thing. He watched as the woman looked very concentrated on the scene into the window. The woman that he wanted so badly to by his side, so he turned to the evils. He once gorgeous blonde with a lovely smile.

It was easy to blame himself. But for the first time, he felt guilt. In the very pit of his stomach, his memories churned. His first intensions were not to rape her. They were to marry the stupid girl, but other things got a hold of him, and he went ahead and did it. The action that could turn her whole world around, and he lost his only chance for her. But there was her daughter. He exhaled deeply, realizing how desperate he was.

Judge Turpin gazed out watching the blade slice his own throat. He made a face. "I'm sorry." The judge said. "For what, you ain't eve' done nothing' to me..." She said, still very concentrated on the window. "It's my fault your here." He mentioned. "I like it." She decided. "It's pretty." she said. All he saw was all the killings.

But really, behind all those killings were things that he couldn't see. What she was seeing was Johanna. She was watching her daughter grow up into a woman through a glass window. While she was dead. "Oh she's beautiful." She gushed. He still saw nothing. She switched angles and screamed, as she saw exactly what the judge was seeing.

_In Catholic school as vicious as Roman rule_

_I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black_

Sweeney had walked across the vast room to a big window. He sighed as if he was incredibly bored and looked out. To his surprise and his delight, he saw his old Lucy, before she was poisoned. "Do you think he'll come back?" she asked Mrs. Lovett. "Someday. You just wait here, and he'll come back to see his beautiful wife and his lovely daughter." She looked dazed as she said this forcing a small smile.

"Stop lying." Lucy said sadly. Oh my gosh. His Lucy didn't believe that he was going to come back. "I ain't lyin' Lucy. He's gunna come back." "And how do you know?" She sounded very cynical. "Intonation." She went and knelt down beside sobbing Lucy, balancing little Johanna in her arms. "He'll come back for you, love. Soon." She added, trying her best to comfort her.

He winced at the scene that came later on. Newly poisoned, she wasn't as messy as the beggar woman she was now. Still very pretty, but had no mind. She sold herself on the streets for as much as she could get. This was not a pleasant site. This was not the Lucy he knew. This was not the Lucy he married. "She was right." He thought. "I woulda killed myself if I found out what she had become."

But why didn't Mrs. Lovett keep her? As if on cue, the scene in the window turned into the Mrs. Lovett's parlor. Lucy ran around, as Mrs. Lovett tried to calm her, bouncing the baby on her hip as she tried to get her to sit down. Mrs. Lovett handed Johanna to her mother before briefly running out of the room. "BABY!" Lucy cooed. Johanna began screaming and wailing, drawing a very exhausted looking Mrs. Lovett into the room. "Shut that fucking baby up!" Her husband shouted from a couple doors away. She ignored the comment and proceeded to trying to take the kid out of Lucy's arms.

"NO!" Lucy shouted. Mrs. Lovett stepped back, it was her kid anyway. Johanna began to scream louder, pulling and tugging on her mother's yellow hair. "Ouch!" Lucy shouted again, trying to pry the baby off of her, slapping her little fists trying to get her to release her hair. Mrs. Lovett stumbled over to the baby and took her out of Lucy's arms. Johanna immediately silenced burying her head in her bust.

Lucy ran outside, Mrs. Lovett chased after her for awhile, before Johanna insisted on attention. "Nellie!" The little baby cried. Though it came out more of "Newwie." Mrs. Lovett sighed as she reached looked down at the little baby and kissed her face, making her laugh with joy. By that time Lucy had disappeared from her site.

After searching around London for hours, she gave up, heading back home with a sleeping Johanna. "Where the fuck were you?" Albert shouted as she entered the door. "Looking for Lucy." She simply stated, pushing past him, taking Johanna to bed. He grunted and walked straight into the parlor, falling asleep in the chair.

Lucy suddenly appeared in front of the Judge's house wandering in. Having lost her mind, the Judge let her in, and she let him have her. The next day he threw her out on the street. "Oh, everything is his fault." He thought. Mrs. Lovett saw her the next day and asked her to come home, but the judge appeared out of nowhere. "Leave her." He spat, and shoved her away.

"Blasted Judge." Sweeney muttered under his breath, continuing to glare at the scene in the window. A few years had passed in the next little frame. Johanna was at least three or maybe even four. Albert had passed, and Lucy was just plain crazy. She had crawled into bed next to Mrs. Lovett, cuddling next to her. Obviously afraid of the raging thunder storm outside.

"Johanna what are you doing in here?" She asked, pulling the little girl closer. "I'm scared." She said. "Will daddy come back some day?" She asked Mrs. Lovett. She took a deep breath. "I think he will, yes." She said. Johanna smiled. "What did daddy look like?" She asked again. "He was very handsome, sweetie, and he had chocolate brown eyes." Johanna smiled again. "Where's he now?" She asked. "If I answer this will you sleep?" Johanna nodded. "Far away. Missing you and your mum..." She answered, resting her head on her pillow. "Does he miss you too?" She asked.

Mrs. Lovett didn't answer. "I want him to miss you like he misses mummy." She said. "Why?" Mrs. Lovett asked, gently combing the little girl's hair with her fingers. "Because I love you. And I think he should love you to. Why doesn't he love you?" She asked again. "Because I'm not his perfect wife." She murmured and closed her eyes. "But you're not my wife. And your not even my real mummy, but I love you..." Johanna stared. "I love you too dearie, now please sleep?" Johanna slid down underneeth the covers, huddling closer to Mrs. Lovett. "I wuff you..." She said sleepily. "I love you too." She responded and fell back to sleep in seconds. "Daddy wuv's you too, I bet." Johanna said before she fell asleep, but Mrs. Lovett was already dreaming of the day when he'd return, so she didn't hear her.

The next scene was when Johanna was at least eight. Mrs. Lovett and Johanna were sitting in her pie shop, eating breakfast. "Eat you toast, Johanna." Mrs. Lovett said to the girl. Suddenly, the pie shop door burst open to reveal a soaking wet pissed off judge. Without question he walked over to started Mrs. Lovett protecting the child. The Judge carelessly snatched Johanna as Mrs. Lovett screamed no, and attempted to get her back using all the energy in her small body. The Judge finally had it, and threatened to kill her with his pocket knife if she didn't give up.

Johanna screamed and shouted, but the judge hoisted her away all the same. "Don't kill her! Don't! He can have me, mum don't!" She shouted. And Mrs. Lovett stopped trying, listening to her orders. The Judge took Johanna way, and closed the door, leaving Mrs. Lovett crying. "Please come home soon!" she shouted. And Sweeney knew she was talking about him. "At least she put in effort." He mumbled under his breath. At that, the scene dissolved away to pitch blackness.

_And I held my tongue as she told me_

_**"Son fear is the heart of love"**_

_So I never went back_

The words popped out into the blank window as he backed away slowly.

_If heaven and hell decide_

_That they both are satisfied_

_Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs_

_If there's no one beside you_

_When your soul embarks_

_Then I'll follow you into the dark_

In a window near by, Mrs. Lovett gazed out into her own life. Mostly her sacrifices. She watched herself as she scrubbed blood stains out, prepared untouched meals, skinned and minced his customers. She held her breath, finally realizing that this is what she did for love.

All the washing the scrubbing the lying. The filthy work in the bake house to help him, to just get him to notice. Her hopeless thoughts. "I am an idiot." She said to herself. Sweeney heard it though and wandered next to her to see a blank window. "What?" He asked her.

"All that shit I did for just a look in your eyes." She whispered. "I am an idiot aren't I?" He didn't respond to this as she watched herself fake smile at all her customers, grind up his customers and bake them into pies for the night. "You didn't have to." He said, knowing that this was not true. "Yeah, well I did." She answered sarcastically.

_You and me have seen everything to see_

_From Bangkok to Calgary_

_And the soles of your shoes are all worn down_

She screamed as a stream of white light came from the window. She fell back, Sweeney caught her. "Sorry." She muttered brushing herself off. All of a sudden a little picture of a bright looking dock caught their attention. "Hey isn't that...?" He asked. "YES!" She answered. "oh my gosh." She grinned widely. As did he, strangely.

They watched as a whole bunch of fisherman walked by. People rushed around trying to get to the ships, as two small kids weaved their way through the thick mob of people. The crawled onto a wooden crate, the girl first, offering the little boy her hand to get up onto the crate that overlooked the whole dock.

"Nell, when we grow up let's get a house out by the sea, so we never forget this place." He said. "Even if we did move away, I wouldn't forget Benny." She stated like it was obvious. "Still, wouldn't it be awesome!" He shouted. "It'd smell like fish." She rolled her eyes and answered.

He looked at her, wanting to tackle her badly. "Let's play truth or dare." She said. He simply shrugged. "Truth or dare?" She asked him. "Truth." He said. "Chicken." She giggled and said. "Would you marry me?" She asked pouting a little. "That is a stupid question, Nell. With the world's most obvious answer." She grinned from ear to ear and whispered into his ear, "I still like to hear it." He leaned into her ears and whispered, "Till' death do us part."

"Okay, Nell, truth or dare?" He smirked. She tilted her head to the left thinking...before saying "dare." He tapped his chin thinking...he shifted his weight and looked at her as she smirked. "Go steal an apple." She sighed, and ran off toward the tiny little grocery stand. "Hello sir, how much are these apples?" She asked. Benny elbowed her, and said through his teeth, "your stealing not buying..."

She whispered back, "I know." He had no idea what she was up to, but he let her do whatever. "One shilling." He told her, looking down to get a clear look at her face before she shouted, "hey look! A ship, I wonder if that's me father returning." She pointed to a non-existent ship in the fog. The grocer looked over as Nellie shoved one in her skirt. "Where?" The man asked. She pointed again into random spot in the sea.

"Ah, well me vision isn't as good as it used to be. About those apples." She looked up at him. "I forgot me money at home, I'll be back soon." She stated and walked away, as the man tipped his hat at her. She stuck her tongue out at him, and sat down behind a crate, leaning on the side. "Truth or dare?" She asked him as she bit into the red apple.

"Dare." He said. She smiled. "I dare you...to steal...that man's pocket watch!" She pointed at a wealthy looking bloke with a pocket watch hanging out of his pocket. "What? Not fair!!" He shouted. "Are you backing out?" She teased. "No!" He practically spat at her. He puffed up his chest and stood up taller, and marched over to the man. "So where ya from?" He used Nellie's trick and started out with a question. The man looked down, and ignored him.

"Weather sucks here don't it?" He tried again, and again the man simply ignored him. He gave up and began reaching for the watch. Somehow the man noticed, and yelled "thief!" At Benny, causing him to run. The man started to grab him and hit him. "Let go of him you big bastard!" Nellie shouted. She smacked his hand, making him let go of Benny. Benny ran and Nellie kicked the man in the groin. "Don't touch him!" She yelled and ran.

They met up at the end of the dock. Benny sat there sulking at the fact that he got caught. She sat beside him and leaned over on him. He made no move to shake her off, but didn't seem to enjoy it either. "You got it." She told him. "Did not." He said. "Then how'd you get it in your pocket silly?" She questioned him. He furrowed his brow and reached into his pocket, pulling out a shining golden pocket watch. He looked at her, she winked and smiled, pulling her closer. Hugging her with all his strength, grinning from ear to ear.

"I always get what I want." She said to him. And he smiled. Little Nellie did always get what she wanted. Sometimes she didn't get it legally, or followed the rules. But that's what made Nellie, Nellie. She got everything she ever wanted except for Benny. "You're the only thing I want." He whispered into her ear. He kissed her temple, and she blushed. "Then you have everything." She smiled over at him. And both burst into a fit of giggles.

_The time for sleep is now_

_It's nothing to cry about_

_Cause we'll hold each other soon_

_The blackest of rooms_

Mrs. Lovett and Mr. Todd both stood at the window laughing. They had forgotten where they were. A confused Judge and Lucy wandered over to the window where the couple was standing. "What?" They said in unison, staring out at the window. She looked up and saw nothing but an old abandoned dock. The empty shops, and broken down wood the old signs and broken up crates. Still, the two kept on laughing.

_If heaven and hell decide_

_That they both are satisfied_

_Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs_

For the first time, Sweeney looked at Nellie. "You always get what you want don't you?" he murmured into her ear. "Always." She whispered back. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "My beautiful little devil." Tilted up her chin and planted a light kiss on the lips wrapping his strong arms around her tiny waist. "I'm sorry." She said once more to him. He smiled, "I know you are." He smirked at her. She hit him playfully, as the window opened up to reveal a vast blue sea, and a setting sun.

"**The view from here is beautiful." **

She laughed and said. Still, all Turpin and Lucy saw was blackness. The empty sky on the darkest of midnights. They stepped back, and saw the two clasp hands and stood on the edge of the window. Lucy squeezed her eyes shut, as she heard a loud "splash!" that echoed through the hall of windows. When she opened her eyes, they were gone, and in the pitch black sky, there were two stars clinging on to one other.

Heaven or hell? Neither of them knew. But sometimes, when they were wandering through the hall, they would hear a laugh echoing through. Someday, maybe they'd find out what they saw that was so magnificent. A window to their past was what it was. A time when things were better, simpler, happier. When all they needed was each other. A time when London was beautiful place. The shimmering beauty of their past they was sometimes forgotten was brought back into the present, reminding them that things once were this way, drawing them into a whole different world. Sending them into each other's embrace. Giving them memories and each other to keep company in their sadness and comfort in their glorious after life.

_**If there's no one beside you**_

_**When your soul embarks**_

_**Then I'll follow you into the dark**_


End file.
